


Cydonia

by vectacular



Series: A-to-Z of Firestorm! [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:07:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21754249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vectacular/pseuds/vectacular
Summary: Yusaku returns to Earth after spending a few years on Mars.
Relationships: Fujiki Yuusaku/Homura Takeru
Series: A-to-Z of Firestorm! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1537111
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	Cydonia

**Author's Note:**

> Scifi... good...
> 
> Cydonia refers to a region on Mars that also has the "face" of Mars. My brain was thinking of this word and I looked it up, and it fit so well??? My brain is good to me sometimes!

Yusaku looks around the now unfamiliar streets on Earth, the gravity of his home planet feeling crushing after years on Mars. Sighing, he looks at his phone to check the GPS, stomach twisting at _who_ he’s getting closer to. 

Between getting reacquainted with the gravity and where he’s going, he’s thinking constantly of just fleeing. 

Groaning, he moves to the side of the street so he can lean on the wall, taking deep breaths. _Get it together_ , he berates. 

Crossing his arms, he digs up determination from somewhere as he starts to walk forward again. If Ai was here, he could almost hear how Ai was saying _it’s like you’re walking to death_ which feels sort of apt. Or maybe Ai’s dramatics are contagious. 

Looking up, he sees spaceships flying, as well as clear domes with mansions and gardens inside for the wealthy. People and androids walk past as Yusaku finally reaches the bar. A run-of-the-mill bar, in a run-of-the-mill city, but who he’s there to see is far from run-of-the-mill. 

Someone pushes past him to get into the bar, and he takes another breath before going in himself. Furtively, he glances around, cold fear gripping his heart, and his hands clammy as he finally sees _him_. 

At the front bar, glass in hand as he talks to the bartender, laughing, hair shining in the low light. Yusaku’s heart aches, and it’s like he’s caught in the past as he gets closer. 

_He_ turns around, probably to see the new arrival, then _his_ eyes widen.

“Takeru,” he croaks, not used to saying his name even though he thought about him so much, “hi.” 

Yusaku’s ex.

* * *

Minutes pass. Or _seem_ to pass, at least. “Can we―uh―can I―” he stutters as Takeru continues to stare at him. 

Takeru snaps out of it, glass clinking on the table. “You’re back? From Mars?” Yusaku’s breath hitches, and he fidgets with the edge of his jacket as he takes in Takeru’s voice. Older. Rougher. Maybe from the alcohol, but still _so_ nice. 

Takeru’s eyes narrow, and he forces himself to answer. “Yeah, for a―look,” he crosses his arms and hunches. “Can I, uh―can. We. Have dinner? Or something?” He mumbles, sure he’s going to get rejected. 

“Now?” Takeru frowns, and Yusaku wonders if his ex has someone at home, if this is a lost cause like he thought it would be. Ai gave him grand, dramatic speeches about winning back _the one that got away_ and all that, but he’s always been more realistic. It’s ages. Takeru’s probably moved on. _Besides, this isn’t even about my feelings that much._

“Tomorrow. Just to talk! Catch up!” His voice cracks on the last words and he winces. Aren’t you meant to be over that once you pass your 20’s or something? 

“Sure,” Takeru says with a shrug, and a small smile. “Where?” 

“Uh, hold on,” he blinks, less anxious with Takeru’s acceptance as he gets out his phone, looking for a perfect place. “Here,” he brings his phone over to Takeru, who puts his own phone over the top to share info, as well as the place. “Six? Or seven? Or whatever time’s good for―“

“Six is fine, Yusaku,” Yusaku gulps, soley unprepared to hear his name and the frisson that goes through him. “Stop being so nervous. It’s just me,” the other man says softly. 

“That’s partly why I’m so nervous in the first place,” he says under his breath.

* * *

_There’s a weight in his chest as he goes to the spaceport. It’s heavy and broken, but it’s fine as he goes through preparation for dealing with zero-G and artificial gravity with other people who are also first-timers for spaceflight._

Is this worth it? _He thinks while his luggage is checked, and he shakes the thought away as he checks in._

_He’s fine as he walks onto the huge ship, searching for his room. An info screen helps him, and he frowns, hoping Cydonia City won’t be as cold as the ship._

_He’s still fine as he finds the room, complete with a tiny kitchen, tiny bed, separate tiny bathroom. Laundry is a communal thing, with one on every floor of the ship._

_The ship also has a huge dining room and restaurant as he walks around quietly._

_It’s when he’s gotten the cheapest thing off the menu to bring back to his room is when the regret starts to trickle in._

_Takeru wouldn’t’ve made this cold and impersonal spaceflight seem so lonely if he could talk to him, but he’s still so_ raw _from their argument._

_He knows Takeru would take his call, but after mindlessly eating his dinner, all he does is stare down at his phone, Takeru’s number pulled up._

_Curled up on the bed, regret chokes him as the words he said earlier echo in his brain. Hiding in his knees, he reasons that Takeru wouldn’t talk to him. It’s better like this now. Takeru deserves someone who’s not up in some Mars colony, someone who could hold him―kiss him, even with Takeru saying he didn’t mind. The long-distance would’ve never worked out anyway._

* * *

The place he chose to meet turns out to be a grungy diner, complete with decaying seats and more importantly, no video cameras in or nearby. Takeru doesn't show his opinion on it, just sits down at a table close to the door and stares at him. 

Ah yes. Talking. But about what first? 

"How's Mars?" Takeru asks, and he startles, blinking. 

"It's… getting there," he says. Takeru's brow pinches. "I'm… sorry. About our argument," he starts off with, and then it all comes pouring out. _This first, then._ "I missed you so much, and on that first night in the ship I thought about calling you, but I was so scared, and I talked myself out of it. Everytime I thought about, I was so scared and in the end… I thought it was too late."

He fiddles with his jacket sleeve. Takeru relaxes as he talks, face sympathetic.

"I know, I _know_ you would've answered, but as soon as I returned to Earth, I wanted to see you. And not just because I missed you," he bites his cheek, unsure how to bring up the _other_ topic of why he's here, much less how Takeru would react. 

"What do you mean?" Takeru speaks, leaning over the table. 

"I―It's complicated," he says softly, getting out his phone to bring up the info he needs. "I… got involved―with some people―"

"Are you in trouble?!" Takeru whisper yells, and Yusaku grimaces. 

"No. These people―they're―uh. You know SOL Tech?" 

"Aren't they the one's financing the Mars terraforming?" Takeru looks up, scratching his head. 

"They are. They're… mistreating―their workers. The pictures of Cydonia I've seen here on Earth―it's propaganda and all attempts to show what they're doing are all blocked, even with the internet," he says quietly. "The people I'm with, we want to show everyone so something can be done."

Takeru gapes, eyebrows raised, "holy shit."

"Yep," he licks his lips, tensing. "I've… talked about you a lot. With them." Ai says he talked about Takeru _too much_ , though Aoi and Kiku thought it was sweet. "And they―I―want you to… join. Us?" 

Takeru looks even more shocked, and Yusaku keeps quiet, knowing that this is something to think about. Takeru eventually frowns, looking at the table as he scratches at some existing marks on the table. "My grandparents died two years a go," Takeru says blankly. 

Yusaku winces, "I'm so sorry," he swallows, throat closing up as he thinks of the kind relatives―how he'll never see them again, how they accepted him wholeheartedly. His eyes feel wet as it starts to hit him, "I didn't know," he chokes out. 

Takeru continues to stare at the table, face hidden behind his hair, "I thought of letting you know, but I was scared as well." 

"If―If you want to think about what I said, or―"

"The funny thing is that I don't want to," Takeru interrupts, finally looking up with a familiar determination in his eyes, "I want to help."

He draws in a breath, eyes wide. "You do?" 

Takeru shrugs, "better than being around here. There's only a grave for me here, with me drinking myself into it or something."

Yusaku breathes out, relaxing into the seat. "That's―" he frowns, unsure how to explain the relief he feels. 

"Can we get out of this place now?" 

"I was going to show you what they were doing, so I chose the best place where a megacorp who finances the spy technology through street cameras and more couldn't see us," he grumbles. "I thought I'd have to convince you more, maybe ask if you had anyone or―"

Takeru laughs, voice bright in the dingy area, and his heart lightens at hearing it. Suddenly, Takeru leans over, pressing a chaste kiss to his mouth. "This _asshole_ who went to Mars kinda stole my heart, so no, I don't have anyone," Takeru says dryly, grinning. 

"O―Oh, that's… good," he tentatively smiles, a tiny bit of hope blossoming. They're not the same people they were when he left, but that could be a good thing. 

_**[Fin]** _

**Author's Note:**

> I love them. However, my last two FS fics have been all, angsty and shit. My next one won't be. I can only do angst in small doses. 
> 
> Feed your local writer (me) with comments and kudos! ♥ ♥ 
> 
> [Firestorm discord!](https://discord.gg/dhpZN8N) | [Tumblr](https://lenreli.tumblr.com/post/189604983880/c-for-fs-15k-link) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/lenreli/status/1204642808813871104)


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